Karnataka: Spotted a croc? Just call Steve Irwin of Sirsi

Crocodile hunter Rajendra Sirsikar, a veterinary doctor, is the most sought-after man in Sirsi, a mountain town surrounded by lush green forests.

Crocodiles pose many a problem to the villages on the bank of Vardha river, Sirsikar’s hometown. Known as the Steve Irwin of his town, the 28-year-old fearless crocodile hunter, has caught 11 crocodiles so far.

He said that a large number of crocodiles move out of the river and are seen walking on the banks during summer. They enter village hutments on the banks and attack dogs and cattle. “The villagers too panic when they spot a crocodile and try to kill it by stoning it,” said Sirsikar adding that after he caught a couple of crocodiles with the nylon rope and tape technique, the villagers now alert him the moment they see a crocodile on the banks.

Sirsikar’s stint with crocodile hunting began a few years ago when he had gone with his friends to Hospete. On the banks of the lake there was a crocodile.

“The children around, were panicking and screaming, while some of them started throwing stones for it to go away. The crocodile started getting aggressive. I managed to get a gunny bag and a rope from a fisherman. I put the gunny bag on the croc’s eyes and started tying up its mouth with the rope. My friends started tying its feet. That was my first-ever catch. I had just gone to have fun with my friends, but I ended up saving the animal and the people around.”

He said he had always been studying crocodile behaviour and had studied the techniques to catch and release them.

I had to blindfold it and then tie the mouth with a firm nylon rope and tape. Soon after, I grabbed the tail and the crocodile was under control ­

–Rajendra Sirsikar

While in Sirsi, Sirsikar got famous when he rescued a crocodile from a well. “The villages were beating up the crocodile with a bamboo stick and huge stones. The poor animal had hidden itself in one corner. I went to the spot, and went inside the well and used the same technique in rescuing the crocodile,” he said.

Sirsikar also spoke about his most difficult rescue. He once caught a huge female crocodile weighing 200 kg, which was camping on a farmer’s field. “The crocodile was very huge. Catching big crocodiles is a difficult task. They were instances where it almost attacked me. I had to quickly blindfold it with a sack round its neck and then tie the mouth with a firm nylon rope and tape. The moment the mouth was tied, I grabbed the tail and the crocodile was under control. With the help of forest rangers, we released it in the Kali River,” said Sirsikar.

Crocodiles apart, Sirsikar is adept at catching snakes too. When out, he is always looking to rescue animals and birds in distress. “If you treat the animal with love and respect, they will treat you the same way. We just need to understand them. They can never harm us,” he says.